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Author Topic: Dolby Formats Scott Norwood Film God Posts: 8146 From: Boston, MA. USA (1774.21 miles northeast of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-21-2004 04:03 AM                        (also posted to rec.arts.movies.tech) I'm trying to compile a list of Dolby format numbers. Does anyone have a complete list somewhere? Here's what I've been able to come up with (mostly from the manuals and info on the CP-200, -500, and -650): 01 - 35mm mono 02 - 35mm Dolby A-type mono 03 - 35mm Dolby A-type w/o surround 04 - 35mm Dolby A-type w/surround 05 - 35mm Dolby SR w/surround 09 - 35mm sepmag mono with Dolby A 10 - 35mm SRD 11 - ext. 6-ch. (I've also seen references to fmt. 11 as 35mm sepmag mono?) 13 - 35mm SRD-EX 14 - 35mm sepmag mono with Dolby A (academy curve) 15 - 35mm sepmag mono (academy curve) 16 - 35mm sepmag printmaster with Dolby SR 17 - 35mm sepmag printmaster with Dolby A 20 - 35mm commag 4-track (no NR, no surround) 22 - 35mm commag, no NR 23 - 35mm commag with Dolby A, no surround 24 - 35mm commag with Dolby A and surround 26 - printmaster 2-ch. no NR 27 - printmaster 2-ch. A-type 28 - printmaster 2-ch. SR 40 70mm 6 track (Conventional 6 Track, no NR) 41 Dolby 70mm Wide (6 Track, A-Type NR, all 6 Channels) 42 Dolby 70mm Baby Boom (6 Track, A-Type NR, Baby Boom Channels 2 & 4) 43 Dolby 70mm Stereo Surround (6 Track, A-Type NR, Baby Boom/Stereo Surround) 44 Dolby 70mm Wide (6 Track, SR NR, Widerange all 6 Channels) 45 Dolby 70mm Baby Boom (6 Track, SR NR, Baby Boom Channels 2 & 4) 46 Dolby 70mm Stereo Surround (6 Track, SR NR, Baby Boom/Stereo Surround) 50 - special venue (IMAX, showscan, etc.) 60 - nonsync 1 61 - nonsync 2 62 - nonsync 3 64 - PA ctr. channel (mic) 65 - PA surr. ch. 66 - 320 Hz test tone 68 - Dolby tone/test 70 - video PA (NS1) 71 - video mono (NS1) 73 - video LCR (NS1) 74 - video Pro Logic no SW 75 - video Pro Logic with SW 80 - master digital in 81 - fmt. 80 with EX 85 - 5-ch. screen 86 - 5-ch. screen with EX 87 - fmt. 11 with EX 88 - 6-ch. PCM 89 - 6-ch. PCM with EX 90 - 7-ch. PCM 92 - SR 6-ch. 93 - Dolby SR (NS1)  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 01-21-2004 08:14 AM                     First off...the Dolby format numbers only have real meaning on the CP-200. The use of them for other processors may make some feel better but they don't really matter. Next. Format 66 is Dolby Tone...the fact that the CP-500 and CP-650 can produce the Dolby-Tone is why they just put a single tone out. Thus, your claim of 67 being Dolby Tone is flat out wrong. All of the SEP soundtrack format numbers are unoffical and vary with the room and when someone programmed them in. I've seen lists from LA and NYC and they don't agree. The fact that some have used the 01-18 for anything but optical tracks already violates the convention of the format numbers. For 35mm SEP mag films, something in the 30s is more appropriate (or at least the 20s). Format 24 was not orignally defined whereas format 23 was as Dolby-A 4-track magnetic striped composite film. Again, the numbers are pretty meaningless on anything other than a CP-200...I'm surprised Dolby has kept them going other than to have people program new numbers into the CP-200 in a uniform manner (and, more often than not, they don't). The CP-200 defined formats 69 (external), 71 (Studio interface mono-surround) and 72 (Studio Interface stereo surround). Steve  |  IP: Logged Manny Knowles "What are these things and WHY are they BLUE???" Posts: 4247 From: Bloomington, IN, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 01-21-2004 09:28 AM                     Incomplete answer! I insist on being properly educated, Steve. Please go on and explain WHY those numbers don't mean anything on anything but the CP200. Also, how is it possible for them to differ? Are they not really formats after all? I note that Format 01 will engage the LED for Dolby A on the 222SR/A NR card in the CP45. Not sure if this means the signal actually gets processed with NR. As I recall, Non-Sync input levels can be set using the Dolby level LED's as a guide. In that case, I'm reasonably certain that the signal is not affected by NR. Also, in the CP45 there is a jumper that can make Format 01 behave as Format 03. I do not use Mono anymore (used to use it for trailers) so I don't know how the format is handled in other processors.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-21-2004 10:15 AM                     The use of numbers for the formats was started to allow for the use of the binary decoders in the CP200 since there were only four formats you could select from a b c d and with thumb wheel switchs you select what actual format was assigned to that format ID So you could set format A for anya combination of two digits (up to 99) same for B same for C same for D As such each format card had a range assigned to it and they arrived with various pre assigned formats to specific number 01-04 20-23 40-43 60-66 etc with specific functions assigned such as format 41 Todd Ao configuration Acadmeny Filter off (fukk range) NR on As new formats were created such as digital and SR optical new numbers were often assigned with a cheat sheat of diodes to stuff into the correct format card Most preview rooms and dubbing theatres took advantage of all the various IO points on the back to create custom double system formats controling 3rd party devices  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 01-21-2004 12:59 PM                    The list makes for interesting reading but CP200 aside the numbers serve no purpose whatsoever. Describing a format by name makes much more sense. 70mm 6-track SR L, LS, C, RS, R, SW (aka "5.1") doesn't seem to be represented except as its fullcoat equivalent. So what good is that list?  |  IP: Logged Martin Brooks Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 900 From: Forest Hills, NY, USA Registered: May 2002 posted 01-21-2004 07:53 PM                        Hey Scott, don't let these anal types bother ya' -- I keep the same list. A few notes from my notes: - I don't think 62 is used anymore or maybe it's just that it's not available on the newer processors - I forget. - I don't have 68 on any of my lists. - 81 is 5.1 in, 7.1 out - 85 is the 5 screen channels + Ls, Rs and LFE - 86 is 7.1 in 9.1 out - 89 is 5.1 in, 7.1 out (L/R C/LFE Ls/Rs Bsl/BsR - 90 same channel configuration as 89. Whether you dial up the numbers in these configurations or not, this is how Dolby refers to these formats, so I think the list is useful, even if some don't abide by it.  |  IP: Logged William T. Parr Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 823 From: Cedar Park, TX Registered: Nov 2000 posted 01-21-2004 08:34 PM                     I have a question here. We are fixing to insatll a CP200 at the Paramount in Austin which does a fare share of 70mm stuff. Quiet a bit of it with SR. Aside from the common 70mm formats. What changes in the unit would be required to 70mm SR since the 200 will have a SRA5 adapter with it plus two extra 280T cards for C and S in the unit. More Specifically looking for the changes to manifes the following formats quote: 44 Dolby 70mm Wide (6 Track, SR NR, Widerange all 6 Channels) 45 Dolby 70mm Baby Boom (6 Track, SR NR, Baby Boom Channels 2 & 4) 46 Dolby 70mm Stereo Surround (6 Track, SR NR, Baby Boom/Stereo Surround) Also the unit will have both a Dolby Digital DA20 and a DTS6D unit attached. Would the DTS unit be assigned format 11?  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-21-2004 09:14 PM                     For SR 70 I just replace the 22's with the 280T's when required  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 01-22-2004 04:09 AM                     Daisy chain the dts and DA20, then select format 10. If the dts drops out, you will have SRD as a backup without so much as a hiccup and best of all...no operator intervention. All by default. If you want dts as the backup format, you have to modify the DA20 to allow the sub to pass through.  |  IP: Logged Josh Jones Redhat Posts: 1207 From: Plano, TX Registered: Apr 2000 posted 01-22-2004 01:10 PM                        And that modification only takes 30 minutes to do. Josh  |  IP: Logged

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